The field for the $6.35 million Arima Kinen (G1) at Nakayama Racecourse is very likely the strongest group ever assembled for the year-end championship race in Japan on Christmas Day.
Two out of the four Japanese representatives in the Qatar Prix de l’Arc de Triomphe (G1) at ParisLongchamp, Titleholder (11th) and Deep Bond (18th), skipped the Nov. 27 Japan Cup (G1) in favor of the Arima Kinen. Arc runner Do Deuce (19th) has been given a winter freshening, while Stay Foolish (14th) has been recently retired.
In addition, connections of Boldog Hos, narrow runner-up to leading 3-year-old Equinox in the Kikka Sho (G1) last time out, and Japan Cup (G1) hero Vela Azul have set their sights on the 2,500-meter (approximately 1 mile, 4 1/2 furlongs) Arima Kinen.
Another interesting contender in the Arima Kinen is defending race winner Efforia. The 2021 Japanese Horse of the Year was well beaten in both the Osaka Hai (G1) April 3 and the June 26 Takarazuka Kinen (G1) before being given a lengthy break. After returning to training with Yuichi Shikato at the Miho Training Center, the Arima Kinen will be the 4-year-old's first start in over five months.
The 2021 handle for the Arima Kinen capped at ¥49,097,246,400, and it is expected to surpass the bar of ¥50,000,000 (US$366 million) this year.
